Method of fabricating a liquid crystal display

ABSTRACT

A light influencing element and the process of fabricating the same is disclosed, wherein the light influencing element is fabricated by disposing a layer of a substantially opaque material upon a transparent substrate. One or more openings or wells may then be cut or formed in the surface of the layer of opaque material. Into such openings a light influencing material is then disposed, preferable said materials are injected thereinto as by ink-jet type injection heads. Liquid crystal displays and subassemblies formed upon the light influencing elements of the instant invention are also provided.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/195,076filed Nov. 18, 1998, RE 36,711 which is a RE of Ser. No. 08/150,788filed Nov. 12, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,070 which is a CON of Ser. No.08/068,305 filed May 28, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,450, which is itselfa continuation of application Ser. No. 07/890,855 filed on Jun. 1, 1992,now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of lightinfluencing elements for use in high resolution optical systems, andparticularly to a method of making such elements. The invention moreparticularly relates to light influencing elements adapted to act as acolor filter for optical systems such as image scanning systems andactive or passive liquid crystal display devices. In it's most specificform, the instant invention relates to high resolution color filterelements, and methods of making the same, which are adapted to all orpan of a liquid crystal display device, such as an active matrix liquidcrystal display, disposed thereupon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Efficient production of full color systems for use in cameras,television, etc. have been contemplated since at least as early as thelate 1950's and are generally discussed in an article which appeared inthe May 1959 edition of Scientific American. Reference may also be madeto U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,382,317, 3,443,023 and 3,443,025. As optical systemtechnology evolved, so too did the technology employed in providing fullcolor thereto.

High resolution electronic optical systems, such as for example, eitheractive or passive liquid crystal displays, and contact image scanningsystems are today well known in the commercial fields. While systems ofthe type described above have been generally successful in fulfillingtheir intended purposes and have found commercial acceptance, thesesystems exhibit several deficiencies. The deficiency specificallyaddressed herein relates to the fact that heretofore, the lightinfluencing elements used in high resolution optical systems, to, forexample, polarize or color filter light passing therethrough, have beenvery difficult to fabricate, often requiring up to ten or morefabrication steps. The result of having so many fabrication steps isthat the manufacturing process is very costly, and further that theprocess is susceptible to producing high amounts of unacceptable orscrap light influencing elements. This of course further increases thecost of the light influencing elements.

As noted above, color liquid crystal display devices are well known inthe art, and one exemplary such device is set forth in U.S. Pat. No.4,632,514 to Ogawa, et al, entitled “COLOR LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYAPPARATUS”. The '514 patent describes a color, twisted nematic typedisplay wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is varied dependingupon the color imparted to each picture element of the display. Ogawa,et al describe the need to terrace the layers of filter materials,which, as will be noted in greater detail hereinbelow, requireadditional fabrication steps in the manufacture of a display.

The commonly accepted method of fabricating light influencing elementsfor high resolution optical systems, particularly liquid crystaldisplays, is set forth in an article entitled Multicolored LiquidCrystal Displays, published in Optical Engineering, Vol. 23 No. 3,May/June 1984. More particularly, FIG. 11 thereof illustrates in astep-by-step manner, the conventional photolithographic method offabricating color filter elements for liquid crystal display. As aperusal of said article teaches, a color filter element is fabricated bydepositing a layer of transparent gelatine glue, known in the art as“fish glue” atop the display electrodes, which have already been formedupon a transparent substrate. A photomask is then applied so that thetransparent gelatine glue is removed from all ares other than atop adisplay electrode. Thereafter, a layer of photoresist material isdisposed atop the entire device substrate and a photomask is applied sothat, assuming a red-green-blue color filter arrangement, all electrodesand gelatine layers to be colored red are exposed, while the electrodesto be colored blue or green remain covered by photoresist. The exposedgelatine glue is then dyed red and the dye is cured. Thereafter, thephotoresist is removed from the electrodes to be dyed green and blue,and a new layer of photoresist is applied over the entire devicesubstrate, and a photomask is applied to expose the electrodes to becolored blue. The exposed gelatine glue is then dyed blue and the dye iscured. The same process is then repeated to provide the green dyedelectrodes.

An alternative, dry-etching technique is set forth in an articleentitled Fabrication of mosaic color filters by dry-etching dielectricstacks, Journal of Vacuum Science Technology, A4(1), Jan/Feb 1986. Theapproach is illustrated fully in FIG. 3 thereof, which clearlyillustrates the need to etch, mask and re-etch the deposited materialsin order to achieve the desired color configuration. Moreover, thisapproach is limited to certain color combinations and arrangements astwo or more filter layers may be needed to produce a single color.

A third commonly accepted method of providing color filter materials isset forth in an article entitled Multicolor Graphic LCD with tricolorlayers formed by electrodeposition, and published in the 1984 Societyfor Information Display Digest. In this article, the authors set forthan electrodeposition method for depositing and patterning color filterlayers. In this method, certain electrode layers were activated so as tocause dyed pigments to be electrochemically deposited thereupon.Thereafter, a second set of electrodes is activated so that a secondcolor can be deposited, and so on for all subsequent colors to bedeposited. While this method does not require the deposition andpatterning of filter material layers, it does require the deposition andpatterning of electrode layers, and the subsequent electrodepositionsteps for each color.

In addition to the deficiencies inherent in the multistepdeposition/etch processes discussed hereinabove, none of such methods offabricating a light influencing element provide a light barrier aroundeach color filter so as to eliminate the presence of stray, non-filteredlight. Such stray, non-filtered light has the effect of washing out thecolor of the light that is being transmitted through the color filter.The result is that the color image looses sharpness and intensity. Alight blocking layer around color filters or display picture elements iscommonly called a black matrix in the field. The provision of a blackmatrix has heretofore involved the subsequent deposition of a lightblocking layer of material around the filters or the picture elementsafter such elements have been formed. The result is the need to provideadditional photoresist deposition, mask and etch steps in order toprovide the black matrix, with the most often result being greaterexpense attributable to more costly processing and greater losses causeby the manufacturing process itself.

These and other limitations of the prior art are obviated by theinvention disclosed and claimed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a light influencingelement for high resolution electronic optical systems, and a method offabricating the same which avoids the need to employ repeatedphotolithographic steps.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a lightinfluencing element which also includes a black matrix layer forimproving the contrast, resolution and sharpness of optically enhancedlight passing therethrough.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide liquidcrystal display devices and subassemblies thereof which may befabricated upon the light influencing element of the instant invention.

These and other objects are achieved by fabricating light influencingelements which by a comprising the steps of: providing a substantiallytransparent substrate member, disposing a layer of a substantiallyopaque material upon one side of said substrate; forming at least oneopening through said layer of substantially opaque material; anddisposing a light influencing material in said at least one opening. Thesubstantially transparent substrate member is typically selected fromthe group of materials consisting of glass, plastic and combinationsthereof.

The layer of substantially opaque material is disposed to a thickness ofbetween 0.10 and 100.0 μm, and preferably between 1.0 and 10.0 μm. Thisopaque material may be fabricated from a deposit of materials such as apolymeric material, metallic materials, semiconductor materials andcombinations thereof, though in a preferred embodiment, the material isa black polyimide material.

One or more openings or wells are formed through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material. The formation of such openings isaccomplished by employing a method such as a high power laser, or aphotolithographic etch process to cut or eat away the opaque material.When the embodiment of a laser is employed, a high power excimer lasercapable of at least micron scale resolution is required to be placed inclose proximity to said substrate and layer of opaque material.Depending upon the application desired for the light influencingelement, a plurality of similarly sized and shaped vias arranged in adensely packed, uniformly spaced M×N array may be provided.Alternatively, the array of vias may be arranged into a series ofinterlocking triangles or “triads”, or elongated stripes.

Into the opening or openings is disposed a light influencing materialsas by providing a light influencing material in non-solid phase havingthe optical characteristics thereof optimized for the desiredapplication, which material is injected in a sufficient amount so as toachieve a desired light influencing effect. Thereafter, the material iscuring from the non-solid to the solid phase.

In one embodiment, the light influencing element is adapted to functionas a color filter element for a liquid crystal display or a subassemblythereof. In this application, the light influencing material is adaptedto color white light into the group of colors consisting of red, green,blue and combinations thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of the subject invention willbecome apparent from a perusal of the detailed description of theinvention, the drawings and the claims which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective view, the light influencing element ofthe instant invention;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate, in a partial cross-sectional side viewtaken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1, the inventive method of fabricating thelight influencing element of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate in cross-sectional, partial side view,the processing steps involved in fabricating a liquid crystal displaysubassembly, from the light influencing element of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates in cross-sectional, partial side view the processingsteps required in order to fabricate a liquid crystal display from theliquid crystal subassembly and light influencing element of FIGS. 1, 2and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. Light Influencing Element

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein, in perspectiveview, the light influencing element of the instant invention, identifiedgenerally by the reference numeral 10. The light influencing element 10will typically be employed as a color filter element, as is explained ingreater detail hereinbelow, though it is to be understood that such anelement may be employed in a number of different applications including,but not limited to, a light diffuser, a light collimator, a lightpolarizer or a light rotating element. Alternatively, the lightinfluencing element may be adapted to provide an optical effect uponradiation not in the range of visible light. Hence, said element may beadapted to filter certain wavelengths of radiation such as infra-red orultra violet.

The light influencing element 10 includes a transparent substrate 12,which serves as the base upon which subsequent structures are formed.The substantially transparent substrate 12, is typically fabricated froma device quality, high temperature sheet of glass, which is free fromdefects and optical inclusions. Alternatively, the substrate may beformed from other substantially transparent materials such as a clearplastic or other polymeric material which may be either rigid, as glass,or flexible as would be the case for a thin, polymeric material such asa layer of kapton, or polycarbonate materials of the type that arecurrently used in numerous applications wherein considerations such ashardness and optical clarity are of paramount importance.

Disposed upon said substrate 12 is a layer of substantially opaquematerial 14. The layer of substantially opaque material 14 may typicallybe formed of a polymeric material such as a black polyimide materialdeposited to a thickness of between 0.10 and 100.0 μm, and preferablybetween 1.0 and 10.0 μm. Alternatively, the layer of substantiallyopaque material 14 may be formed of a metallic material, such as, butnot limited to, tin, chromium, molybdenum or tantalum deposited to athickness sufficient to substantially prevent the transmission of lighttherethrough. The layer of substantially opaque material 14 mayotherwise be formed from a layer of a non-metallic, and non-polymericmaterial, such as a layer of amorphous silicon or an amorphous siliconalloy material, again deposited to a thickness sufficient to prevent thetransmission of light therethrough. In one preferred embodiment, thelayer of substantially opaque material is a layer of black polyimidematerial deposited to a depth of between 1.0 and 10.0 μms.

Formed in said layer of substantially opaque material 14 is at least oneopening 16 which extends through said layer 14 to the substrate 12. Thenumber and spacing of the at least one opening, in the event that thereare more than one, will depend upon the ultimate application in whichthe light influencing element is to be used employed. For example, ifthe element 10 is to be used as a color filter in a liquid crystaldisplay, then the size, packing density, number and pitch of the pictureelements (or pixels) of the display will determine the size, packingdensity, number and pitch of the openings 16 in the light influencingelement 10. Alternatively, the openings may be formed as one or moreelongated strips in the layer of substantially opaque material.

The openings 16 themselves may be formed by any one of a number oftechniques, such as a conventional photolithographic and etch technique.In one preferred embodiment of the method of the instant invention,which is described in greater detail hereinbelow, the openings 16 areformed by employing a high resolution i.e., capable of at least micronscale resolution, high power laser device, such as an excimer laseradapted to cut a plurality of similarly sized and shaped openings in thelayer of substantially opaque material 14. The element 10 of FIG. 1 maybe adapted, as mentioned above to use in conjunction with a liquidcrystal display. Hence, the excimer laser should be able to form aplurality of openings 16 formed in a highly packed N×M matrix of rowsand columns. In FIG. 1, the element 10 is arranged as a matrix of 3×3openings, though it is to be understood that the element 10 may bearranged to include any number of openings arranged in rows and columns,or in any other fashion, such as a series of interlocking triangles or“triads”, or elongated stripes.

Disposed in each of the openings 16 is a light influencing materialselected to provide a desired optical effect. For example, if the lightinfluencing material is to be employed as a color filter element, dye,ink such as the ink used in so-called ink-jet technology or other colorpigments may be disposed in said openings 16. The dyes or pigments,which may be either of the additive or subtractive variety, would bedisposed in a manner and to a thickness sufficient to, for example,color white light red as it passed therethrough. Having appropriatelyprepared the light influencing element 10 so as to provide a desiredoptical effect, the element 10 may then be adapted to serve as thefoundation upon which an entire electronic optical device, or somesubassembly thereof, is fabricated.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, there is illustrated therein, in apartial cross-sectional side view taken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1, alight influencing element fabricated according to the instant invention.More particularly, FIG. 2A illustrates the substrate 12, having a layerof substantially opaque material 14 deposited on one surface thereof. Asnoted hereinabove, the substantially opaque material 14 may befabricated of a metal, semiconductor or a polymeric material, though inone preferred embodiment, the layer of substantially opaque material 14is a layer of black polyimide material, deposited by, for example, spincoating or blade application, to a depth of between 1.0 and 10.0 μm, soas to prevent the passage of light therethrough.

Referring now to FIG. 2B, the substrate 12 and layer of opaque material14 are placed in relative close proximity to and are exposed to a highpower, high resolution laser device such as an excimer laser 100. Thehigh power, high resolution laser 100 is employed to form, as bycutting, at least one opening in the layer of opaque material 14. InFIG. 2B, the laser has formed six (6) openings 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16eand 16f in layer 14. The excimer laser 100 must be capable of at leastmicron resolution, and thus should be able to form a plurality ofopenings in a highly packed N×M matrix of rows and columns. In FIG. 1,the element 10 is arranged as a matrix of 3×3 openings of which FIG. 2illustrates but six openings in a row of 8, though it is to beunderstood that the element 10 may be arranged to include any number ofopenings arranged in rows and columns, or in any other fashion, such astriads or stripes.

In order to form more than one opening in the layer of opaque material14, it is necessary to effect some type of relative movement between thesubstrate and the laser. As the laser is capable of very highresolutions, the tolerances for any movement must be very precise so asto not upset the resolution and patterning of the openings. It istherefore necessary to provide a precise raster-type or otherconventionally known step and repeat type device for scanning the laseracross the surface of the substrate 12 and layer 14. Alternatively, thesubstrate 12 and layer 14 may be scanned across a stationary lasersource 100.

Turning now to FIG. 2C, the substrate 12 with the layer of opaquematerial 14 having a plurality of openings 16a-16f formed therein isplaced in relatively close proximity to means for injecting a lightinfluencing material into said openings. Further, in one preferredembodiment of the invention, these injection means comprise threeinjection nozzles 21a, 21b, and 21c which are adapted to inject, forexample, dye, ink or color pigments into the openings 16a-16f, inso-called “ink-jet” fashion. The nozzles 21a-21c or the substrate 12 mayeither be fitted with apparatus to effect relative movement therebetweenso that one or more nozzles may be used to fill each opening. Hence, inthe application wherein the light influencing element 10 of FIG. 1 is acolor filter element having red, green and blue filters, nozzle 21a maybe adapted to inject red dye, ink or pigment into opening 16a to createred filter 18a, nozzle 21b may be adapted to inject blue dye, ink orpigment into opening 16b to create blue filter 20a, and nozzle 21c maybe adapted to inject green dye, ink or pigment into opening 16c tocreate green filter 22a. Thereafter, either the substrate 12 or thenozzles 21a-21c may be moved over to the next untilled openings 16d-16f,wherein nozzle 21a injects red dye, ink or pigment into opening 16d tocreate red filter 18b, nozzle 21b injects blue dye, ink or pigment intoopening 16e to create blue filter 20b, and nozzle 21c injects green dye,ink or pigment into opening 16f to create green filter 22b. This stepand repeat process is continued until all of the openings have beenfilled.

The light influencing material disposed in each opening can be any oneof several materials which are initially in a non-solid state, i.e. aliquid, an aqueous solution, a suspension, an emulsion or even a rapidlycondensing gas. The non-solid material will possess the opticalcharacteristics necessary to accomplish a desired task such aspolarization or color filtering of light passing therethrough. Moreover,the physical characteristics of the material, such as viscosity, colorcoordinates, etc. are to be optimized for a desired application andperformance when injected in ink-jet fashion from nozzles 21a-21c.Preferred materials to be used in the openings of the light influencingelement 10, include ink, dyes or pigmented inks, gelatins, organicmaterials and water soluble materials and such other materials that canbe made susceptible to injection as by ink-jet technology.

After injecting said non-solid light influencing materials into saidopenings 16a-16f, it is necessary to cure said injected materials to thesolid state. This may be accomplished by any one of a number of meansranging from allowing the materials to harden by exposure to ambientconditions, to placing the substrate and materials disposed thereon intoan oven, such as an autoclave or infra-red oven, and exposing saidmaterials to those conditions until cured to the solid state. In thismanner, it is possible to fabricate a light influencing element, such asa color filter for use in conjunction with a high resolution liquidcrystal display device, without encountering the limitations of theprior art methods.

B. Liquid Crystal Subassembly

A liquid crystal display subassembly may be obtained by employing theliquid influencing element 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. More particularly, FIGS.3A, 3B and 3C illustrate in cross-sectional, partial side view, theprocessing steps involved in fabricating a liquid crystal displaysubassembly, such as the so-called passive plate, from the lightinfluencing element of FIGS. 1 and 2. The subassembly, fully illustratedin FIG. 3C as 300, is fabricated by disposing a continuous layer of atransparent, passivating material 26 atop the color filters 18a, 18b,20a, 20b, 22a and 22b and black polyimide layer 14 of the lightinfluencing element 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The passivating material 26 isadapted to, and must be deposited to a depth sufficient to perform atleast two critical functions: 1) to level the underlying filter andopaque layers to a continuous, flat surface to serve as a base uponwhich subsequent layers may be formed; 2) to electrically insulate thelight influencing element 10 from any electrically conductive layersthat may be disposed upon the passivating layer; and 3) to provide aflat, level surface so as to assure a uniform thickness for any layer ofliquid crystal material disposed thereon. As light must be able to passthrough the element and subassembly, it is necessary for the passivatinglayer 26 to be formed from a layer of material that is also transparent.In one preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the transparent,insulating, passivating material 26 is formed from a transparent,organic material such as a transparent resin, SiN_(x), SiO_(x),polyimides and combinations thereof.

Thereafter, a layer of a transparent, conductive material, such as atransparent conductive oxide material 30 of FIG. 3B, is disposed uponthe passivation layer 26. Preferred transparent conductive oxidesinclude indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, cadmium sulfate andcombinations thereof. Thereafter, employing photolithographic techniqueswell know in the an, the layer of transparent conductive material 30 ispatterned to form a plurality of electrodes 32a-32f, which electrodesare formed directly above the openings 16a-16f, which define colorfilters 18a, 18b, 20a, 20b, 22a and 22b, though are separated therefromby the passivation layer 26. Alternatively, the layer of transparentconductive material 30 may be left unpatterned to achieve a so-calledcommon electrode. Accordingly, the subassembly 300 would include aplurality of aligned color filters and electrodes arranged in an N×Mmatrix array. In this way, it is possible to fabricate a liquid crystaldisplay subassembly which avoids the limitations inherent in the priorart.

C. Liquid Crystal Display Device

A liquid crystal display device may be obtained by employing the liquidcrystal subassembly of FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. More particularly, FIG. 4illustrates in cross-sectional, partial side view the processing stepsrequired in order to fabricate a liquid crystal display 400 from theliquid crystal subassembly 300 and light influencing element 10 of theinstant invention. The liquid crystal subassembly 300 is employed tofabricate a liquid crystal display by providing a second substrate 40,which substrate 40 is typically fabricated from a device quality, hightemperature sheet of glass, which is free from defects and opticalinclusions. Alternatively, the substrate 40 may be formed from othersubstantially transparent materials such as a clear plastic or otherpolymeric material which may be either rigid, as glass, or flexible aswould be the case for a thin, polymeric material such as a layer ofkapton, or polycarbonate materials of the type that are currently usedin numerous applications wherein considerations such as hardness andoptical clarity are of paramount importance.

The second substrate 40 has disposed thereupon a layer of transparentconductive material such as a transparent conductive oxide material 42.Preferred transparent conductive oxides include indium oxide, tin oxide,indium tin oxide, cadmium sulfate and combinations thereof. The layer oftransparent conductive material 42 may be either a continuous layer ormay be a patterned layer of display electrodes formed by conventionalphoto-lithographic processes. The second substrate 40 may also havedisposed thereon other micro-electronic devices such as transistors ordiodes which enhance the switching and other performance of the display.The second substrate 40 is arranged so that the second layer oftransparent conductive material 42 is spacedly disposed from and facingthe patterned layer of transparent conductive material disposed on thefirst substrate 12. A layer of liquid crystal material, such as atwisted nematic, cholesteric or other liquid crystal is disposed betweensaid first and second substrate 12 and 40, which layer of material willeffect a change in optical characteristic from transparent to opaqueupon application of an electrical charge thereto. By employing the lightinfluencing element of FIGS. 1 and 2 as a color filter element uponwhich a liquid crystal display is fabricated as described herein, it ispossible to achieve a full color liquid crystal display device free fromthe processing limitations inherent in the prior art.

As may be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the presentinvention can be practiced other than as is specifically disclosedherein. Thus, while the instant invention has been described withrespect to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understoodthat the foregoing and other modifications and variations may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:
 1. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal displaysubassembly, said method comprising the steps of: providing asubstantially transparent substrate member; disposing a layer ofsubstantially opaque material upon one side of said substrate, saidsubstantially opaque material being a black polyimide material; formingat least one opening through said layer of substantially opaquematerial; disposing a light influencing material in said at least oneopening; disposing a continuous layer of a transparent, passivatingmaterial atop said layer of opaque material and said light influencingmaterial; and disposing a layer of transparent, conductive material atopsaid passivating layer.
 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step ofproviding a substantially transparent substrate member includes thefurther step of selecting said member from the group of materialsconsisting of glass, plastic, and combinations thereof.
 3. A method asin claim 1, wherein the step of disposing a layer of substantiallyopaque material upon said substrate includes the further step ofdisposing said material to a thickness of between 0.10 and 100.0 μm. 4.A method as in claim 3, wherein the opaque material is disposed to athickness of between 1.0 and 10.0 μm.
 5. A method as in claim 1, whereinthe step of forming at least one opening through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material is accomplished by employing a methodselected from the group of a high power laser, a photolithographic etchprocess, and combinations thereof.
 6. A method as in claim 5, whereinthe step of forming at least one opening includes the further steps of:providing a high power excimer laser capable of at least micron scaleresolution; placing said substrate with said layer of opaque material inclose proximity to said laser; providing means for achieving relativemovement between said laser and said substrate; and employing said laserto cut at least one opening in said layer of opaque material.
 7. Amethod as in claim 1, wherein the step of forming at least one openingincludes the further step of forming a plurality of similarly sized andshaped openings, arranged in a densely packed, uniformly spaced array.8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of disposing a lightinfluencing material into said at least one opening includes the furthersteps of: providing a light influencing material in a non-solid phasehaving the optical characteristics thereof optimized for a desiredapplication; injecting a sufficient amount of said light influencingmaterial into said openings so as to achieve a desired light influencingeffect; and curing said non-solid light influencing material to thesolid phase.
 9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the step of injectinglight influencing material into said openings includes the further stepsof: providing at least one nozzle for injecting said materials, in closeproximity to one of said openings; providing means for achievingrelative movement between said nozzle and said opaque material coatedsubstrate, for disposing light influencing material into preselectedones of said openings.
 10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the step ofcuring said light influencing material includes the further steps of:providing infrared oven means; and disposing said substrate, layer ofopaque material, and light influencing material into said oven means soas to solidify said light influencing material.
 11. A method as in claim1, including the further step of selecting a light influencing materialadapted to color white light.
 12. A method as in claim 11, wherein saidlight influencing material is adapted to color light into the group ofcolors consisting of red, green, blue, and combinations thereof.
 13. Amethod of fabricating a liquid crystal display, said method comprisingthe steps of: providing a substantially transparent first substratemember; disposing a layer of substantially opaque material upon one sideof said first substrate; forming at least one opening through said layerof substantially opaque material; disposing a light influencing materialin said at least one opening; disposing a continuous layer of atransparent, passivating material atop said layer of opaque material andsaid light influencing material; disposing a layer of transparent,conductive material atop said passivating layer; providing a secondsubstantially transparent substrate member having a continuous layer ofa transparent conductive material disposed on one surface thereof, saidsecond substrate being spacedly disposed from said first substrate andarranged so that the layer of transparent conductive material of thesecond substrate faces the layer of transparent conductive material ofthe first substrate; and disposing a layer of liquid crystal materialbetween said first and said second substrates.
 14. A method offabricating a liquid crystal display, said method comprising the stepsof: providing a substantially transparent first substrate member;disposing a layer of substantially opaque material upon one side of saidfirst substrate; forming at least three openings through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material; injecting a light influencing material asa non-solid state including first, second, and third colors in said atleast three openings directly on the first substrate; curing saidinjected material to a solid state; disposing a continuous layer of atransparent, passivating material atop said layer of opaque material andsaid light influencing material; disposing a layer of transparent,conductive material atop said passivating layer; providing a secondsubstantially transparent substrate member having a layer of atransparent conductive material disposed on one surface thereof, saidsecond substrate being spacedly disposed from said first substrate andarranged so that the layer of transparent conductive material of thesecond substrate faces the layer of transparent conductive material ofthe first substrate; and disposing a layer of liquid crystal materialbetween said first and second substrates.
 15. A method as in claim 14,wherein said light influencing material is one of a dye, ink or apigment.
 16. A method as in claim 14, wherein said plurality of openingsare arranged in rows and columns.
 17. A method as in claim 14, whereinsaid plurality of openings are arranged in a series of interlockingtriangles.
 18. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display, saidmethod comprising the steps of: providing a substantially transparentfirst substrate member; disposing a layer of substantially opaquematerial upon one side of said first substrate; forming a plurality ofopenings including at least three openings through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material; injecting a light influencing materialincluding first, second, and third colors in said at least threeopenings directly on the first substrate; repeating said injectingprocess until all of the plurality of openings have been filled;disposing a continuous layer of a transparent, passivating material atopsaid layer of opaque material and said light influencing material;disposing a layer of transparent, conductive material atop saidpassivating layer; providing a second substantially transparentsubstrate member having a layer of a transparent conductive materialdisposed on one surface thereof, said second substrate being spacedlydisposed from said first substrate and arranged so that the layer oftransparent conductive material of the second substrate faces the layerof transparent conductive material of the first substrate; and disposinga layer of liquid crystal material between said first and secondsubstrates.
 19. A method as in claim 18, wherein said light influencingmaterial is selected one of dye, ink or pigments.
 20. A method as inclaim 18, wherein said plurality of openings are arranged in rows andcolumns.
 21. A method as in claim 18, wherein said plurality of openingsare arranged in a series of interlocking triangles.
 22. A method offabricating a liquid crystal display, said method comprising the stepsof: providing a substantially transparent first substrate member;disposing a layer of substantially opaque material upon one side of saidfirst substrate; forming at least one opening through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material; disposing a light influencing material insaid at least one opening; disposing a continuous layer of atransparent, passivating material atop said layer of opaque material andsaid light influencing material; disposing a layer of transparent,conductive material atop said passivating layer; providing a secondsubstantially transparent substrate member having a continuous layer ofa transparent conductive material disposed on one surface thereof, saidsecond substrate being spacedly disposed from said first substrate andarranged so that the layer of transparent conductive material of thesecond substrate faces the layer of transparent conductive material ofthe first substrate; patterning the continuous layer of transparentconductive material; and disposing a layer of liquid crystal materialbetween said first and said second substrates.
 23. A method as in claim22, wherein the step of providing a substantially transparent substratemember includes the further step of selecting said member from the groupof materials consisting of glass, plastic, and combinations thereof. 24.A method as in claim 22, wherein the step of disposing a layer ofsubstantially opaque material upon said substrate includes the furtherstep of disposing said material to a thickness of between 0.10 and 100.0μm.
 25. A method as in claim 24, wherein the opaque material is disposedto a thickness of between 1.0 and 10.0 μm.
 26. A method as in claim 22,wherein the step of forming at least one opening through said layer ofsubstantially opaque material is accomplished by employing a methodselected from the group of a high power laser, a photolithographic etchprocess, and combinations thereof.
 27. A method as in claim 26, whereinthe step of forming at least one opening includes the further steps of:providing a high power excimer laser capable of at least micron scaleresolution; placing said substrate with said layer of opaque material inclose proximity to said laser; providing means for achieving relativemovement between said laser and said substrate; and employing said laserto cut at least one opening in said layer of opaque material.
 28. Amethod as in claim 22, wherein the step of forming at least one openingincludes the further step of forming a plurality of similarly sized andshaped openings, arranged in a densely packed, uniformly spaced array.29. A method as in claim 22, wherein the step of disposing a lightinfluencing material into said at least one opening includes the furthersteps of: providing a light influencing material in a non-solid phasehaving the optical characteristics thereof optimized for a desiredapplication; injecting a sufficient amount of said light influencingmaterial into said openings so as to achieve a desired light influencingeffect; and curing said non-solid light influencing material to thesolid phase.
 30. A method as in claim 29, wherein the step of injectinglight influencing material into said openings includes the further stepsof: providing at least one nozzle for injecting said materials, in closeproximity to one of said openings; providing means for achievingrelative movement between said nozzle and said opaque material coatedsubstrate, for disposing light influencing material into preselectedones of said openings.
 31. A method as in claim 30, wherein the step ofcuring said light influencing material includes the further steps of:providing infrared oven means; and disposing said substrate, layer ofopaque material, and light influencing material into said oven means soas to solidify said light influencing material.
 32. A method as in claim22, including the further step of selecting a light influencing materialadapted to color white light.
 33. A method as in claim 32, wherein saidlight influencing material is adapted to color light into the group ofcolors consisting of red, green, blue, and combinations thereof.